CHHS Spotlight: Meet Ann Obermann, Interim Chair of the Department of Social Work

With Jess Retrum, Ph.D., now assuming the role of interim Dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, the Department of Social Work has announced that Ann Obermann, Ph.D., has stepped in as interim chair.

We recently caught up with her to learn more about her background, vision for her role, and what people might not know about the department.

Can you share a bit about yourself and your background?

First and foremost is my dedication to this noble profession. All of my degrees are in social work – a BSSW, an MSSW, and a PhD in Social Work – and I’m also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I’ve been a practitioner in the Denver and Jefferson County area starting in 1997; during that time I worked in a variety of settings including Urban Peak, Savio House, Alternative Homes for Youth, Jefferson County Child Welfare, and Jefferson Center for Mental Health. I came to MSU Denver in 2016 as an affiliate faculty member, then moved into a Category II position, and in Fall 2017 secured a Category I faculty role.

I’m originally from the East Coast, with roots in Maine and Virginia, but Denver has definitely become home. And I honestly love MSU Denver – I jokingly say that I was “stalking” the Social Work Department for years because I knew this was exactly the kind of place where I wanted to teach!

What are your priorities stepping into the interim Department Social Work chair role?
I’m really honored to step into it. My main priority is supporting and honoring the amazing work our faculty and staff already do every day. Our department is deeply committed to our students and the communities we serve, and I want to make sure we continue providing excellent education and support while removing barriers where we can.

I’m also excited to collaborate. I’m eager to learn from the other department chairs across the university and to partner with other programs so we can best serve our students.

What are some of the challenges and opportunities you see in the role, or the profession overall?

Social work is one of those professions where the need is always present, and growing in many areas. We’re seeing increased demand in mental health, child welfare, schools, community health, and work with older adults as our population ages – that creates tremendous opportunity for our students and graduates to make a real difference.

At the same time, higher education and the social work profession are navigating challenges such as workforce shortages, budget constraints, and supporting students who are balancing school, work, and family responsibilities.

For me, the opportunity is continuing to make social work education accessible, practical, and connected to the real needs of Colorado communities.

What’s one thing you’d like people to know about your department?

Our department is deeply connected to the community. Our students complete internships with hundreds of agencies across Colorado, including hospitals, schools, nonprofits and public agencies; and many graduates are hired by the organizations where they trained.

That connection between classroom learning and real-world practice is something we take a lot of pride in.

Anything else you’d like to share?

One of the things I love about our department is how innovative and community-focused we are. We’re currently piloting a workforce development apprenticeship program and offering a psychedelic therapy elective that allows students to thoughtfully explore emerging areas of practice.

We also invest heavily in the broader social work community, nurturing internship supervisors, running major conferences, and partnering with community colleges to make the transition into MSU Denver and social work as smooth as possible. We’re expanding paid and employment-based internships, so students can make a living while learning. And we provide some of the best support around for affiliate instructors, who share their expertise with our student daily.

Finally, I must give a shout-out to our advising team – they’re top notch and play a huge role in helping our students succeed, from getting in our doors to supporting them as alumni.